Illusions
by justpeachy32
Summary: Everybody is trying to keep up a false illusion to keep their secrets secret. What happens when the Guard is given a vital new mission? Can Arkarian and Isabel cooperate long enough to save the Sun King from doom? Disclaimer: I don't own GOT.
1. Chapter 1

NERIAH:

" Be careful Mum." Matt says as he hugs his mother. He's back to being his old, way too over-protective self. Wait. . . what am I thinking? He's never _not_ been his over protective self!

At this thought, all of the Truthseers present, including Matt, stare at me with laughter in their eyes. I smile sheepishly and laugh along with them.

At the moment, me, Matt, Isabel, and Arkarian are standing in a close-knit group around Jimmy and Coral.

Dillon, Ethan, and Shaun are standing a little further back, waiting until everybody else says goodbye.

Matt and Isabel's mom knows about the Guard now. She wasn't as surprised as we all thought she would be . . . she had always known that her children had been hiding something for years. Although, she was very surprised to learn that Jimmy and Ethan were in on the secret too.

Finally, Matt releases his mother and goes over to Jimmy. He thumps him on the back and they exchange a few kind words. They've never been great friends, mostly because Matt wasn't ready to admit that Jimmy was just what the family needed. Of course, since finding out Jimmy's role as Protector, Matt has lightened up.

Now, Isabel is saying goodbye to her mother. " You guys have fun, just don't do anything too crazy!" She says excitedly, pulling her mother into a warm hug. She hugs Jimmy also, and then moves back to stand by Matt.

Arkarian and I stand there awkwardly, until suddenly, Coral's arms are around us. She also knows about our relationships with her children, and has become a great friend in the past few months.

She holds onto Arkarian for a second longer, before withdrawing and simply says, " Keep Isabel safe. And keep her happy!"

I immediately glance over at Matt, and notice that his jaw is somewhat clenched. He's still uncomfortable with Isabel and Arkarian's relationship, and it's hard for him to hide the uneasiness from his face.

Not that it's easy for the rest of us. Right now, Isabel and Arkarian are having some problems, and the tension in the room is hard to ignore.

Next, Coral embraces me. She knows that I'm the only one that Matt listens to, so she says jokingly, " Neriah, keep him under wraps. We know that you have unlimited control over him."

Every body bursts out laughing, even Matt. The mood is lighter than before.

We're all in Arkarian's octagonal chambers right now, and we are saying goodbye to Jimmy and Coral because they are departing for another world.

Coral is going to live with Dartemis now, and her memory has been fully restored. Jimmy is along for the ride because he is the ever-faithful protector, and must stay with Coral at all times. Of course, Dartemis has told Jimmy many times that Coral's safety isn't at risk anymore, but the Protector doesn't listen. Plus, Coral and Jimmy have become great friends over the last few years, so it's just natural for Coral to feel more at ease with her best friend around. At this point, I think about the power I have over Matt, and can't help but think _like father like son._ If it were up to Dartemis, Jimmy wouldn't have a choice in the matter, but Coral wields the same amazing power over him, that I do over her son. It's funny how life works out sometimes!

But I'm getting ahead of myself here. They haven't even left yet!

After another couple of moments, and another couple of goodbyes, Coral and Jimmy are finally ready to leave. Arkarian does the honors of propelling them to another world, mostly because he has had more practice at this skill than Matt.

ISABEL:

As soon as they're gone, it feels like the whole room finally breathes. We've all been keeping secrets from mum and Jimmy, not wanting them to worry about us.

It's two months after the final battle, and we're back in the same mess we were in earlier. Well . . . not entirely. The Order doesn't seem to be resurfacing, and there has been peace and quiet since the prophecy played out, but we're all still in a fine old mess.

Me and Arkarian have been trying to uphold the illusion that we're happy. For my mother's sake.

Matt and Neriah have many secrets of their own. The most major one being that they spend every night together, although I'm sure my mother isn't that naïve, and has noticed that Matt isn't home most nights. Another of Matt's illusions: that he isn't pissed off at Arkarian for what he did to me.

Ethan's illusion is that he's not as depressed as he really is. Of course, he has all the reasons he needs. . . unlike the rest of us. This thought has me feeling guilty and I glance over at Ethan. He's standing with Arkarian, both of them absorbed in conversation with Shaun. Arkarian must feel my eyes on him because his gaze suddenly shifts upward, his distant, violet eyes searching mine. I hesitate for a second and then glance away, noticing that Neriah has seen the whole thing.

She walks over with a sympathetic look. " I guess nothing has changed between you and Arkarian." She says sadly.

I look at her for a moment, fully appreciating her kindness and sympathy.

" You know the story Neriah." I utter miserably.


	2. Chapter 2

NERIAH:

I pull Isabel into a tight hug and hold her until she pulls away. Not being with Arkarian is killing her. I doubt she'll be able to face him for much longer.

This has me wondering about how Arkarian is holding up. I turn my gaze towards him and notice that he doesn't look much better than Isabel. I must have forgotten to block those stray thoughts, because as soon as they enter my head, they seem to float towards Arkarian. He stops in mid-sentence and stares at me, then at Isabel, who is still firmly in my arms. I notice that his look is full of remorse. I don't have any idea what this is all about, and I suspect that Isabel isn't telling me the whole story.

She finally pulls away and stares at me. She can feel that there is something I need to say.

"Isabel, you do know you can trust me with everything, don't you?" I ask.

" Of course! I just . . . want to get over this and go on with life." She replies, the last part coming out shakily. Her words tell me that she's thinking along the same lines as everybody else: It's hard to imagine Isabel's life without Arkarian in it. Or his without her.

But that's exactly how it's been for the last two months. I make sure to block this whole conversation from any other Truthseers in the room, and look at Isabel again.

" Ok Isabel. I'm just letting you know because I feel like you're not telling me something." I say in the kindest voice that I can find right now.

She just stares at me for a while, trying to make up her mind about me. Then she nods and says; " I'll see you tonight."

I smile as I remember our old Friday night tradition: dinner and a movie.

With these words Isabel leaves, signaling to Matt on her way out. I notice that Arkarian's eyes follow her out of the room. This slightly reassures me that there is still hope for the two of them

ISABEL:

About an hour after I leave Arkarian's chambers, Matt and Neriah walk through the door. I'm sitting at the kitchen counter, trying to make a lemonade and a sandwich.

"Hi guys!" I say in an overly perky voice. I'm still upset about seeing Arkarian.

Matt gives me a strange look and says hi. Neriah just smiles. She knows exactly what I'm going through. Ok, well. . . not exactly. I still haven't told her the whole story, but I plan on doing so tonight.

Trying to lighten the mood, Matt asks what I'm making. I tell him it's a turkey sandwich.

He walks over and grabs the plate.

"Perfect! My favorite!" He says, before taking a huge bite out of the sandwich.

" Well, there's no point to get it back since half the sandwich is already gone!" I laugh. I'm thankful for my brother; he can make me laugh, no matter what else is going on in my life.

Matt devours the rest of the sandwich and goes to wash the plate. "So what do you girls have planned for tonight?" He asks casually.

"Hmm, well we were thinking dinner and a movie," I say, " but if you have any better suggestions, feel free to let us know."

"Actually, that sounds good to me!" Neriah says as she jumps off one of the stools at the counter. She grabs her jacket and pulls me towards the door. The two of us wave to Matt and then walk out of the house. It sure can seem lonely, now that there are only three people living there instead of five! Neriah must be thinking along the same lines because I can tell that she's talking to Matt through her mind. After a while, she decides that Matt will be fine and directs her attention towards me again.

" So. . ." she begins.

" Look, Neriah. It's not that I don't want to tell you . . . it's just hard to bring it up again."

" Let's just go have a good time, and I promise I'll tell you the whole story tonight." I add, with a small smile.

She nods and we keep walking. Pretty soon we get to the coffee shop that we spend most our time at during the week. We always walk to this coffee shop after school with Matt and Ethan. Arkarian even went with us a few times, when he couldn't wait to see me. He'd had to wear a disguise, and luckily, Dartemis had made him this wonderful silver band that temporarily changed his hair and eye color. Of course, that was more than two months ago. Before he told me that he didn't love me.


	3. Chapter 3

NERIAH:

Isabel and I finally finish our food and coffees, and decide to go to the movies. We end up watching a romantic film and I know that the movie can't be helping Isabel forget about Arkarian. Just during the 1st half hour, I find myself thinking about Matt non-stop. Isabel must be thinking of Arkarian right now, and I'm sure that I'm right when I glance in her direction. One of her arms lies across the armrest, and her hand is clutching it so hard that I find myself thinking _'thank God she doesn't have super strength.'_ The other telltale sign is the wet look of her eyes. No matter how hard she tries to keep it from spilling over, a fat tear rolls down her cheek. I grab her hand and pull her down the aisle. We leave the movie theater, neither of us saying a word. Through my mind, I project a message to Matt: '_leave the house now! Isabel and I are coming home, and I don't think she wants you to see her.'_

' _Is she hurt? Are you ok?' _He replies. I can hear how worried he is, even though he's not exactly voicing his opinions.

'_We're both fine, physically. I think she's finally going to tell me what happened between her and Arkarian . . .' _I project to him.

'_Take care of her,' _Matt says. _'Take care of yourself too.'_ He adds.

I marvel at his ability to be cute at a time like this. I send him one more message: _'Tell no one what I've told you. Especially Isabel!'_ He gets my message and tells me that he wouldn't dream of it. Finally we say goodbye and I throw my focus back to the situation at hand.

It's then that I realize that we're right outside of Isabel and Matt's home. Well, technically it is also mine, since I moved in recently. Matt and Arkarian had decided a couple of weeks ago to adopt the popular saying---"safety in numbers." Because of their new obsession to keep us all safe, I moved in with Matt and his family. Ethan, Shaun, and Laura now live in Arkarian's chambers. Dillon's family was briefed about the Guard, and they are also situated in Arkarian's chambers. Isabel would be there too, had it not been for their untimely split.

This train of thought reminds me of Isabel, who is walking towards her house in front of me. It's a good thing that I started to focus when I did, because there is a series of steps coming up, and I wouldn't want to take a nosedive at a time like this.

Eventually, Isabel and I are sitting on her bed in our pajamas. We're both sipping hot chocolates. Clearly, we have taken the time to create some comfort for ourselves. And neither of us wants to rush into why we're here. After a long silence, during which the only sound being made is the slurping of our hot chocolates, Isabel looks over at me.

" I think it's time that I told you the whole story." She says.

" Take your time Isabel. I'm here for you, as long as you need me." I tell her soothingly, knowing that there is much more to the story than either Isabel or Arkarian let on.

" Actually, I think I'll show you." She says, pulling herself into a sitting position. I just stare at her and nod. She grabs my hands and makes me focus on her mind. Images start unfolding, like one of her visions, but these images are of her and Arkarian. Before the memory grabs all of my attention, I hear Isabel beside me. "Don't tell Matt."

THE MEMORY:

The images roll together like a movie, and I see that Isabel is walking towards the mountain, undoubtedly to see Arkarian. She is wearing new clothes and actually looks girly, meaning that she is wearing makeup, and her hair is curled in just the right places. She looks so pretty, that I can already imagine what's going to happen when Arkarian sees her. She's taking care walking up the mountain, so that she doesn't rip her light pink dress. Yes, a dress! That definitely comes as a shock, and tells me just how much she cares for Arkarian if she is willing to wear a dress to surprise him!

_She finally arrives at the secret door and calls excitedly, "Arkarian!"_

_The door opens immediately and Isabel walks through. She's on her way down the corridor when Arkarian uses his wings and appears directly in front of her. He isn't expecting what he sees and almost stumbles. She smiles at him and says, "Hi . . ." _

_The word hangs in the air, and Arkarian just keeps staring at Isabel's face. Finally, he says, " Isabel . . . you are so beautiful." And he means every word of it. _

_She just smiles and pulls his face towards hers. They kiss, and keep kissing. Finally Arkarian pulls away from her and leads her down the hallway. When they get to the main room of his chambers, Arkarian notices that the sphere is spinning wildly. He looks at it for a few seconds and realizes that it's not ready to stop yet. When he looks back, Isabel puts her hands on his chest and pushes him backwards. He's surprised at how forward she's being, but he definitely doesn't mind. _

_The next thing he knows, she has pushed him up against the wall and is kissing him enthusiastically. After a long while of kissing, Isabel pulls Arkarian's shirt off. They hold onto each other and kiss. It's not like his shirt has never been off around her. But then, she does something that surprises him. With her lips still glued to Arkarian's, Isabel reaches for his belt and unbuckles it. " What are you doing?" He asks breathlessly. She just smiles at him irresistibly and kisses his already aching lips. _

_When they finally pull away from each other, he asks her, "Are you sure about this Isabel?"_

_She stares at him for a minute, adoration in her eyes, and says, "I love you Arkarian."_

" _I love you too." _

" _But I don't want to hurt you." He adds with a concerned look on his face. _

_She thinks about this for a minute, realizing what he means. _

" _What is going to happen, Arkarian?" She asks him._

_She's talking about the fact that he is half Immortal, and that she is not. Of course, they're both thinking of the power he possesses, and the damage it could cause if he wasn't able to control it. He stares at her and honestly answers, "I don't know what will happen." _

_But before Arkarian can voice any more concerns, Isabel kisses him again. This makes up their minds and they continue kissing passionately. Finally Arkarian pulls away from her again and whispers into her hair, "You have to promise me one thing."_

_She eases further into his arms and says, "Anything."_

"_If you're in any pain, you have to scream. I won't be able to hear you otherwise." _

_She nods silently and then pulls him towards the bed. _

Eventually, all of their clothes end up on the floor, except for their undergarments. Isabel is wearing black lace, and can tell that Arkarian can't drag his eyes away from her body. It's moments like this that she's glad she plays sports. Her body might be small, but she packs a lot of punch. Her muscles are well developed and she has a great figure due to all of the sports she has played. Now, she is even glad that she used to climb trees as a little girl, no matter how much Matt and Ethan made fun of her. Arkarian brings her back to reality when he lies down and pulls her on top of him. They kiss for ages, and then finally he thinks that she's ready. Somehow, and she suspects it's because of his powers; they're actually floating a few inches above the bed. She's holding onto him with her arms draped around his neck. The next thing she knows, Arkarian is making love to her. But as soon as his body makes contact with hers, she feels a surge of enormous power go through her. It's the same power that emanates from Lorian's eyes, but intensified magnificently. This immense power shakes through Isabel's body, and she can feel it go through every single cell. It scares her to death, and she wants to run away, but the only thing she accomplishes is to tremble within Arkarian's arms. Then she realizes that her whole body is stinging like it's been hit by lightning. Through the stinging she realizes that she's in unbearable pain, but doesn't want to scream for Arkarian. Not only does she not want to, but she is also incapable of doing so. After a few intense moments, Arkarian realizes that something is wrong and stares into her eyes. Tears of hurt are streaking down her beautiful face, and her hold around his neck is wavering. Worst of all, Arkarian notices that her whole body is shuddering with tight spasms of pain. Arkarian pulls away from her hurriedly and picks her up as best as he can. Since she is the only healer that the Guard has, he has to take her to see Lady Arabella. He dematerializes and appears in front of Lady Arabella's apartments. He bangs on the door and Lady Arabella answers it quickly.

From there on out, Isabel's memory gets fuzzier, and she can't recall everything that happened.


	4. Chapter 4

NERIAH:

"Oh my God! You and Arkarian . . . actually . . . _slept together!_" I yell at Isabel.

She's still sitting across from me, staring at me unhappily. " Yes, we did. But as you can tell, it wasn't as great an experience as it should have been."

"Do you know what happened afterward?" I ask cautiously.

"Arkarian told me that Lady Arabella healed me. And . . . was angry with him."

"What? Now Lady Arabella is angry at you guys?"

"No . . . she was furious with Arkarian only. She thought that he had persuaded me to do it, before I was ready."

"No! But he didn't! It was what the two of you wanted . . . right?" I ask carefully. "Is this why he broke up with you?" I can't help but add.

"Neriah!" Isabel yells, with a tone of complaint. "You saw the memory! Of course we both wanted it!"

"Ok, so then what happened?"

She shows me the rest of the memory:

Arkarian carries Isabel back into the room and gently lays her down on the bed. He opens his mouth to say something, when all of a sudden he gets a vacant look in his eyes. He stops and listens for a few seconds, and then turns towards Isabel in alarm.. "Quick Isabel! Get dressed, Matt's at the door!" This outburst terrifies Isabel and she jumps off the bed looking for her clothing. "Arkarian! Oh my God! What are we going to tell him?" She yells, with a horrified glance at the door.

"I don't know, but hurry and get dressed! I can't keep him waiting any longer." Arkarian says as he pulls on his own pants. He quickly glances at Isabel and says, "He's in front of the door Isabel. I have to go out there." With these words he disappears, and Isabel knows that in the same exact second he is reappearing on the other side of the door.

NERIAH:

I recall this night well. It was the same night of my Initiation, and Matt and I had just been shifted back into our beds. After a few minutes of peaceful dozing, Matt ran into the room that Isabel and I shared. He had this frantic, angry look on his face, and I could tell that his blood was boiling.

The rest of the memory plays out, and now I'm sitting on the bed again, staring at Isabel. We're both remembering how angry Matt was, and how hurt Arkarian was that Matt didn't trust him to be with Isabel. Too bad Matt's suspicions were correct . . . about them "deepening" their relationship.

I'm pulled out of my thoughts by a soft whimpering beside me. Isabel is crying again. It's so strange to see her this way. Normally, she is the strongest of all of us. We know that we can always depend on her to be there for us. That's why this situation is so bizarre. Isabel needs us to be there for her!

"Ok, I know that can't be the entire story! If that was it, I'm sure you and Arkarian would bounce back! Since when has Matt's opinion been the law?" I joke, trying to lighten the mood. All I get is a weak smile, but at least it's something.

" No, that's not all of it. You know what happened after Matt dragged me home . . ." She says grudgingly. She's remembering all of the foul things Matt said to her, and all of the anger he had felt. Most of the things said that night hurt Isabel because Matt told her that he despised Arkarian, and that she was stupid to believe that Arkarian wanted anything but her body. And of course, Matt had vowed to kill Arkarian if he ever touched her again. That was Matt at his worst, over-protective self.

Of course, Matt had apologized many times, but Isabel had never truly forgiven him. I can't blame her, some of the things he said were so hurtful! I couldn't believe how angry he was that night. Of course, I had heard Matt's side of the story, so I did understand his anger a little bit better than the others. He was upset because he felt that Isabel was too young for all of this, and that Arkarian should never have told her about all of this "soul-mate" business. Plus, he was sure that Arkarian would hurt her at some point. And he was right. Look at the mess we're in now!

All of this thinking and remembering has my head spinning wildly. And then it hits me. Matt doesn't know for sure what happened that night! He just assumed that Arkarian and Isabel had slept together. And, he had assumed that Arkarian had power over her, to make her more eager to have a physical relationship with him.

"What the hell! This is so complicated . . ." I think, and then realize that I actually said the words out loud.

Isabel glances up at me and nods. She says, "After that night, I didn't see Arkarian for a couple of days. Matt wouldn't let me out of his sight, and Arkarian didn't make an effort to see me. So when I finally got to see him, about a week later, the final battle had already happened."

I nod and, with my eyes, urge her to continue.

"I went to comfort him about Lorian's death. I knew he wasn't taking it as well as he put on, and I just wanted to be with him. Just to hold his hand and try to help him through some of his grief." Isabel says.

"But when I got to his chambers, he was slow in opening the door . . ." She says with a faraway look.

" Then what happened?" I say calmly, knowing in my heart that this was the worst part of the story.

" When he finally opened it, I walked through and found him just sitting there, staring at the sphere. I walked up behind him and wrapped my arms around his waist, but as soon as I touched him, he jumped wildly off his seat."

She pauses for a minute to regain her breath, and then says, " He wouldn't let me touch him. It's like he was reacting to poison or something. That's when he told me he didn't want to be with me. I just stared at him for a minute, and didn't know what to say. I couldn't believe that he had said that!"

" I thought he was upset about that night, so I told him we would try again. He just gave me this last heartbreaking look and said that he didn't want to hurt me, so we couldn't be together." Isabel stops again, and I notice that there are tears in her eyes again.

With these words, Isabel stares straight at me and asks, "Do you know what the worst part of it was?"

I have no idea, so I just shake my head and reply, "No."

" I told him that I didn't believe him, and that I never would unless he told me he didn't love me. So that's what he said."

This last comment has Isabel crying again, and I can't do anything about it. I feel so worthless just sitting here while she's in all this pain.

I grab her shoulders and make her look up at me. " Listen to me Isabel. You're an amazing person. You're strong, and sweet. You're so kind and funny. Arkarian knows this, and so do the rest of us. I don't know what's gotten into him, but he loves you, no matter what!"

Our conversation goes on like this for a long time afterwards. I find myself hoping that I can reassure Isabel. But I can't do that until I talk to Arkarian and see what's wrong with him. How could he hurt Isabel like this? I was always so sure of his wisdom and gentleness and kindness. This whole situation is staggering. It's like he's a whole new person, and there's nothing any of us can do about it!

ISABEL:

It's so weird to finally be telling somebody the whole story. At first I didn't want to tell anyone because I knew Matt would find out and be even more pissed off. Then, I was too embarrassed because I must not be good enough for anyone if even my own soul mate doesn't love me. But now that I've told Neriah, I know that I can trust her to help me get through it. And I'm pretty sure she won't tell Matt . . . for a while. I just felt like I couldn't handle the truth by myself anymore, and I needed to tell someone. Luckily, the person that was there for me was my best friend. Not counting Ethan. It would be so weird to talk to Ethan about this. Especially since Arkarian practically raised him!

Neriah's voice pulls me out of my thoughts, but I don't catch what she said.

"Sorry?"

"Good Night. And don't worry, we're going to figure this out!" She says, trying to cheer me up.

"Night." Then I add, " And Neriah . . . thanks."

She doesn't answer, and I realize that she's already wrapped tightly in her sleeping bag, out cold.


	5. Chapter 5

ISABEL:

The next morning an annoying beeping sound wakes me. I roll over and glance at the clock on my windowsill. It reads 9: 43. Shit. I'm late for school! I jump out of bed as quickly as possible and run to the bathroom, navigating through all the crap on the floor. I jump into the tub and take the fastest shower in the history of the world. I finally finish getting ready for school, and run down the stairs at top speed. It's then that I remember Neriah slept over last night, which must mean it was a Friday.

My thoughts are answered in laughter, and I realize that Matt and Neriah are sitting at the breakfast table.

"Thanks a lot, both of you." I say in an agitated tone.

" I was going to tell you, but Neriah was holding me down." Matt jokes.

This time, they actually get me to laugh with them. Matt gets up and walks into the kitchen, and I hear him mutter something about pancakes.

I sit down next to Neriah and give her an interesting look. She understands what I'm asking and mutters under her breath, "He got here this morning around 7 to make sure we were okay."

I laugh at my brother's never-ending over protectiveness. But right now, I find it kind of cute. And I'm glad that he's on my side about everything that's been happening lately.

After a couple of minutes, Matt comes back out of the kitchen carrying a plate stacked heavily with enormous pancakes. He sets the plate down in front of us, and takes a seat opposite Neriah.

"Dig in!" He yells as he spears two pancakes at once. It's amazing how big boys' appetites are. This has me thinking about Arkarian again. I wish I could get him out of my head. But I can't figure out how to do that, so I swear to myself that I won't let it bother me.

"Mmm." I say cheerfully, as I plop a couple of pancakes on my plate. They smell so good!

" Aww thanks Matt! These are my favorite!" I yell to him with an embarrassingly full mouth. He made chocolate-chip-blueberry pancakes just for me! This day is seriously improving!

Neriah seems to like the pancakes too, and pretty soon, the entire stack has been divided between us.

Matt eats way too many and starts to feel nauseous, but feels better when we all start laughing at his lack of judgment.

" Matt you better stop eating so much, or Neriah might not want to date you!" I joke.

" Yeah! We know you're our _leader pure of heart_ but you're definitely not pure of mind!" Neriah laughs.

This has us all going for a couple of minutes, and Neriah and I come up with so many wisecracks at Matt's expense. He just laughs it off and says, " What can I say. I need my energy to be your leader! I can't keep up with all of you!"

I'm sure I see him wink at Neriah, and this has me going again. Neriah blushes at my giggling, while Matt laughs it off. He then grabs all of our plates and takes them to the sink. I can't help but think that being with Neriah is having so many positive effects on him!

"So, what do you guys have planned for today?" Matt asks from the kitchen.

Neriah glances at me inquiringly and both of our minds are made up in two seconds flat. "Shopping!" We both yell excitedly.

Matt walks back into the breakfast nook and laughs at us, " Please tell me you don't plan things like that."

We all laugh again.

"Well, have fun ladies. Just make sure you're back before 4, because there's a meeting today!" Matt says.

At these words, a feeling of dread settles itself into my stomach. I'm going to have to see Arkarian whether I like it or not. I pretend like nothing is wrong and go to grab a sweater. When I come back downstairs, Matt is giving Neriah a goodbye kiss.

I cough deliberately and laugh at the two of them. They really are like an old married couple! Whoops . . . I forgot to screen those thoughts. The two of them look at me with amusement and decide to forgive me for that slip of my mental block. We all laugh again, and Matt finally pulls away from Neriah. He tells us to be careful, and then he dematerializes. He's probably going to see Dartemis. Neriah and I both pull our heavy sweaters over our heads and leave the house.

NERIAH:

Isabel and I spend the whole day at the shopping mall and we have a great time. We both end up buying a couple of outfits for school, and some winter clothes. It's a good thing we brought sweaters with us because it's getting pretty cold outside! By the time we leave the mall, it's starting to drizzle, and we're both clad in cute mittens and scarves. Isabel's scarf is two shades of light pink, and goes well with her black sweater and jeans. She must be really cold because the scarf is wrapped tightly around her neck, and I can only see half of her face. I'm not much better off; my scarf is a replica of Isabel's, only blue, and it is covering as much skin as possible. It's gotten so cold so fast!

Now we're both in a hurry to get to Arkarian's chambers. Well, we're in a hurry because we're freezing and wet, but we're anxious about actually arriving. We both know that it's going to be an awkward meeting for all of us, especially Arkarian and Isabel, but there's no way to avoid attending. It's the first meeting in a couple of weeks, and we all know that it must be important.

We finally arrive at Arkarian's chambers, and I quickly call his name. The door opens instantly, and the two of us walk down the candlelit hallway. Once we're inside, we realize that we're the last to arrive. Everyone is here; even Jimmy, and they're already sitting around the oval table in the normal meeting room. Isabel and I sit down in-between Ethan and Matt. I can't help but notice that there is somebody unfamiliar at this meeting. She has long blonde hair and piercing blue eyes. The only way to describe her is beautiful. She's sitting directly across from Ethan, and she keeps glancing up at everybody nervously.

ISABEL:

It's so weird to be in Arkarian's chambers again. It's been over 2 months since I last saw this building, and now that I'm finally here again, I'm not so sure that I want to be. Right now, Neriah and I are sitting right in-between Ethan and Matt. Then there's Shaun and Dillon, and even Jimmy! Arkarian is standing at the head of the table, and seated next to him is an unfamiliar face. The blonde girl keeps glancing at everybody nervously, and her gaze doesn't linger on anybody. _Who is she?_ And why is there a new Initiate, as I assume she is, here if this meeting is so important?

Before anybody can ask any serious questions, Matt stands up and stares directly at Arkarian. He says, "I need a word," and disappears. Arkarian follows him, and the rest of us can only imagine where they're going.

After a few long minutes, Matt reappears in his seat, and Arkarian follows a second later. Matt has a hard look on his face, and Arkarian keeps glancing at him angrily. The tension between Matt and Arkarian has doubled, and everybody in the room can feel it. But nobody knows why.

NERIAH:

What is up with everybody today? First, there's a meeting for the Guard, even though Lathenia is gone. Then, there's a stranger sitting in on the meeting. And now, Matt and Arkarian are sending obvious hate thoughts at each other. Even the people without Truthseeing skills can tell that something has happened between the two of them.

At this thought, Arkarian glances at me sharply, and then realizes that everybody else in the room is staring, so he doesn't say anything. Matt, of course, is also staring intensely at me. He sends me his thoughts, making sure that nobody else in the room can hear them: '_I had a talk with him about Isabel. He hasn't changed his mind, and he says he won't.'_

'_Matt! Don't intrude if Isabel doesn't want you to!' _

'_She's my sister! I can't just sit around and watch while she's dying inside! Besides, there's a mission for tonight.'_

'_Really? Where are we going? And why aren't you telling everybody?'_

'_Neriah, I had to tell you first, so that you can calm everybody down. This mission is yours, Isabel's, Ethan's, Dasha's . . . and Arkarian's.'_

'_WHAT?'_ My brain can't help but scream. I guess I didn't screen this last outburst because all of a sudden, everybody is staring at me with puzzled expressions.

I try to laugh it off, but I don't think anybody is buying my useless excuse. They all know that Matt and I have been conversing without their knowledge. Now everybody is uncomfortable, especially the new girl.

It's then that Matt stands and says, " Ok everybody, there are a couple of missions planned for tonight. But first, we must take care of something more pressing. As you all know, there's a stranger in the room with us, so Arkarian, do the honors."

Arkarian shoots him a furious glance but then stands calmly. He pulls the girl to her feet and says, "Everyone, this is Dasha." He pauses, and then adds, " She's my new Apprentice."

Everyone is shocked. Arkarian hasn't had an Apprentice since Ethan! Why this girl? Why now? The thoughts rush through my head wildly until I pull myself together and join the others, who have begun to greet the stranger. After everyone, even Isabel, has greeted Dasha, order is restored and Arkarian and Matt take hold of the meeting again.

" Dasha has been Arkarian's apprentice for a few weeks now, and she is progressing rather well." Matt says. " The reason we're all meeting her now is because we have suspicions that the Order is planning a couple of missions for tonight, and we could use Dasha's well-trained skills."

At this, Isabel and I exchange glances, and I hear a piercing, unblocked thought, a second after she thinks it: _well-trained . . . with Arkarian._ I send her a sympathetic look, and then realize that others have heard the thought too. Matt is staring at Arkarian, who is frowning slightly. The uncomfortable moment passes quickly though, and the meeting gets right back on track.

Jimmy voices one of my questions, "So, what exactly are your skills?"

The girl looks at him and then glances up at Arkarian, as if unsure of her answer.

" Dasha is a shape-shifter. But not in the way you think. Her skills are different than Matt and Neriah's because she can take on the form of people, not just animals." Arkarian says. I can hear the excitement in his voice, and now I realize why Dasha is his Apprentice. He's had more experience with Apprentices than the rest of us combined, and this girl's gift is so extraordinary that she has to be trained extremely well. This is the first time I've ever heard of anybody shape-shifting into other people, so I can't help but blurt out, "Has this ever been seen before?"

Arkarian answers slowly, as if he has to think about it. " Just once, hundreds of years ago, but not with other gifts."

"She has other skills?" Ethan calls out.

This time the girl answers. " Yes, I'm a Truthseer." She pauses, then adds, " And a healer as well."

This simple statement has me reeling. If the fact that this beautiful, extraordinary girl is Arkarian's apprentice isn't upsetting enough, finding out that one of her powers is healing must be devastating for Isabel.

She's always trying to prove herself to us. Trying to prove that she's strong enough to do anything that is asked of her, trying to prove that she deserves to be in the guard. And this is something that she has proven many times by saving Arkarian's, Ethan's, Shaun's, and Matt's lives.

But now, finding out that this girl, with all these extraordinary gifts is also a healer . . . it must be crushing Isabel.

With these thoughts, I glance at my best friend quickly, and see the color draining from her face. She's blocking her thoughts from everyone but me.

'_Neriah . . . she's a healer. I'm not needed anymore!' _

I can _feel_ the devastation in her voice, and don't know what to say to ease her pain. I try my best to reassure her, but I know it's not going to work.

'Isabel, don't even think it! You're the most talented healer the Guard has ever seen! She will never take your place!' I send the thought thundering into her head, making sure to use the power of projecting my thoughts onto others, since Isabel isn't a Truthseer. I also make sure that this conversation stays strictly between the two of us.

Thankfully, our conversation is cut short by Matt's sudden reappearance at the head of the table. He holds up his hands to stop all of the muttering, and looks at each of us in turn. He stares at Isabel for a second longer than the rest of us, and I have a feeling he is sending her reassuring thoughts, and calming waves of power. Then, Matt coughs loudly to get our attention, and says, " Now, as I was saying earlier, there are a couple of missions planned. Shaun, you're going to have to watch the sphere tonight because Arkarian is needed on a mission."

" No problem Matt," Shaun says as he stands up. " First I have to go to Veridian with Jimmy for a short while, we have yet to de-flood the staircase to the ancient city." Shaun says, looking for his discarded coat.

"Ok, Jimmy, you've been briefed about your mission already, so you can leave as well." Matt says firmly.

Shaun and Jimmy leave noisily, wishing the rest of us luck on our missions. We send them on their way with our well wishes.

Once they're finally gone, I notice that the only people left are me, Isabel, Ethan, Arkarian, and Dasha. Dillon and Matt are there too, but they are going on a separate mission tonight.

I grip Isabel's hand under the table, and squeeze it tightly, as Matt readies himself. He knows that Isabel is already upset, and he hates being the bearer of bad news, but it is inevitably his duty to inform us of our mission. He takes a deep breath and finally says what he's been dreading. "Ok, so we're sending a large party tonight to 17th century France. Neriah, Isabel, Ethan, Dasha, and Arkarian. You are all going on this mission."

By now, Ethan has grabbed Isabel's other hand, and she's holding on so tightly that I'm worried about our circulation. As soon as the words leave Matt's lips, Ethan yells, "What? Why all of us?"

"Because this mission is incredibly important! You're going back to Louis XIV's Court for God's sake! He's the Sun King!" Matt adds with a nervous glance at Arkarian. They both know how much is riding on this mission. Unlike the rest of us.

Matt easily reads my thoughts and says, " All of you are going because this mission has to be a success! If we don't save the King's life, the world will have drastically changed!"

After another short silence, Matt adds, " I'm only going to say this once, so listen, all of you. Keep the Sun King happy and safe no matter what! Make sure that your identities aren't exposed. Guard each other as much as you guard the King, but don't forget that you're there to protect Louis XIV! Forget everything that's happening in your lives right now, because everything is riding on this mission. Don't let anything get in the way of your success!"

With these last words, Matt's form dematerializes, and he disappears from the chambers.


	6. Chapter 6

ISABEL:

I'm still holding onto Neriah's hand, and my other hand is gripped tightly within Ethan's. I'm glad that I have friends like them, who will stick by my side when I truly need them.

Right now, we're all thinking about what Matt just said. I'm not so sure if his advice is going to go to heart for all of us.

Arkarian is not meeting my eye, and has not even looked my way the whole night. In fact, he's been looking everywhere but in my direction. Somehow, I am thankful that he hasn't caught my eye, because I'm sure that if he had, Neriah's and Ethan's hands would have dropped off from the force of my grip. It's moments like these that I'm glad my skill isn't strength. I can just imagine how this meeting would have ended had that been the case . . . I would first have gripped their hands so tightly that they sustained injuries, and then I would have had to heal them.

Arrgh. That reminds me of this Dasha girl. I can't believe one of her skills is healing! It's like Arkarian has found a replacement for me, except she's better than the original. Her skills are definitely superior to mine, and she is so confident and beautiful. Well, I guess I don't have a problem with confidence, but I definitely am not as pretty as she is, and I bet you she's a lot nicer than I am.

Uhh. Just thinking about it is depressing. I need to stop thinking about Arkarian! There is no future with him, so I should just stop wasting my time thinking about it. I guess it's a lot easier said than done, because even though I'm telling myself to forget him, I can't. He keeps cropping up in my mind like an annoying weed, and I can't get rid of him no matter what I do.

I'm snapped out of my thoughts when Neriah shoves my shoulder gently. She's telling me that we have to go home. I look around us and notice that the only other person in the room is Ethan. I smile encouragingly at him, remembering that he is brokenhearted too. I wish I could take all his pain away. I really don't want him to have to live through it. He's such a good friend, and I've missed him these last few months. Ever since Rochelle's death, he's been more secluded. And I know why, because I'm going through it right now. He lost his first love, his soul mate. And the worst part is that I don't know how to comfort him. I guess that's how Neriah must feel around me. I decide right at this moment that I can't break down in front of Ethan. I would never forgive myself for causing him more pain. I swear to myself that I will focus less on my problems with Arkarian, and I will put my whole heart into tonight's mission, for Ethan's sake, and my own.

NERIAH:

After Arkarian and Dasha leave the room, I nudge Isabel's shoulder and tell her that we should go. We should be going home and to our warm beds at this point. The mission is supposed to start in less than 2 hours and we have to get home and get to bed before then! That's one thing that bothers me about this double life we lead; the hectic timing. We're always in a hurry and it's such an exciting lifestyle that it's hard to get to sleep at night. There are many nights before missions that I find myself lying in bed awake. Sometimes I even have to use the mediation techniques, taught to me by Dartemis, to slow down my brain and focus on sleep. I have a feeling this is going to be one of those nights.

I pull on Isabel's hand, and lead her through the door of Arkarian's chambers. We're closely followed by Ethan. This is when I notice how could it is outside. Then I realize that I left my scarf in the meeting room!

"Ethan, Isabel!" I call. " I forgot my scarf in the meeting, I'm going to go grab it! I'll catch up!" I yell breathlessly as I run back up the hill.

I run straight through the door and down the candlelit hallway. What I see will stay with me for a long time. I'm so shocked that I freeze just inside the doorway; staring. Arkarian is leaning against the table that holds the sphere, and Dasha is leaning against him. One of her hands is against his face, the other in his blue hair. They're kissing intensely. All of a sudden, Arkarian pulls away from her and looks in my direction. His eyes grow wide, and he looks flustered. I'm not sure what to do, so I run a hand nervously around my throat and say, "I-I forgot my scarf." Then I run into the adjoining 'meeting room' as I call it, and whip my scarf off the chair. When I turn around, Dasha is leaning against the wall behind her, and Arkarian is sitting on one of his ancient, handmade stools. He still has a faraway, uncomfortable look.

Still shocked, I hurry towards the door, not saying a word. Right before I leave, I hear Arkarian say softly, " Neriah . . ." but I don't stop until I'm out the door, and halfway down the hill.

ISABEL:

Neriah finally catches up to Ethan and I, and she has this haunted look in her eyes, as if she's just seen a ghost. Ethan notices her strange, nervous behavior as well, and asks, "Neriah what's wrong?"

She just stares at the two of us for a long while, and keeps her mouth shut. After a couple of seconds, I realize it must have something to do with me or Arkarian.

"Neriah! What happened? What's gotten into you?" I shout at her. " I've been honest with you! Why wouldn't you do the same with me?" I ask, wondering what it is that she's hiding.

After a few more minutes of silence, Neriah turns towards me and says, " When I ran in there to grab my scarf, I ran into Arkarian and Dasha. They were kissing. I'm so sorry Isabel."

I just stare at her, not fully comprehending everything she's just said. Then, a sharp pain hits the backs of my eyes, pushing me towards the ground. Ethan grabs me around the waist and holds me. At first I think I'm having a vision, but then I understand that this pain is coming straight from my heart.


	7. Chapter 7

NERIAH:

It's about an hour after we left Arkarian's chambers, and I'm still completely shocked. I really thought that Arkarian loved Isabel. But to find him kissing someone he's only known for a few weeks . . . it's devastating. Especially since all of the hurt and disappointment that Isabel is going through has now been quadrupled. Lately, it's like all of Ethan's bad luck has been passed on to Isabel. I really hope that it goes away soon, and I hope that it isn't going to come around to me next! What a horrible thought!

Worse yet, all of the pain Isabel is trying to cope with right now will be even more overwhelming tonight. I just hope that the mission doesn't require us all to stick together. I think it would be best for all of us if we could split up into two groups. Ethan, Isabel, and I would make a good group, while Arkarian and Dasha have already proven that they work well together. Another horrible thought!

I need to tap into that pool of meditative thought that Dartemis has shown me. It will really help me sleep tonight. Plus, the mission is scheduled to start 20 minutes from now, and I still feel wide-awake. Finally, I start to meditate successfully, and I feel so much calmer. It's not much later that I fall into a deep sleep.

ISABEL:

After the incident on the mountain, Ethan and Neriah brought me home. Neriah practically lives here now, and she is sleeping on the floor next to me. Ethan used his wings to get home after he made sure that I was OK. They are such great friends; I really don't know what I would do without them. Especially in these kinds of situations.

It's been a few minutes since Neriah fell asleep, and I figure that I must do the same soon. I'm just so worried about tonight's mission. How can I face Arkarian now? When I know that he and Dasha are more than friends? Especially when I still have feelings for him. At least I think I do. Not long ago, I had been sure that I was in love with him. It's strange how confusing things are, and how quickly they change.

I exhale deeply as I try to push these thoughts away. Only think happy thoughts, Isabel. Ahh . . . it seems to be working. I feel so much sleepier now. After another couple of minutes, I feel myself dragging off to sleep.

Eventually, I feel an intense falling sensation and realize that I'm dropping into the Citadel. When I successfully land, I look around the room thoughtfully and then notice that Neriah and Ethan are already here. I walk towards them, trying to ignore the strange room. As I make my way over to them, I have to weave through many high stacks of boxes, all filled and labeled with different things. There are things everywhere. Absolutely everywhere. It's as if this is a storage room for the Citadel! I think I catch a glimpse of a jewel-encrusted scabbard lying next to more random items, including a cute teddy bear and a beautiful dress. What a strange and confusing room! But my thoughts about the room don't go any further because all of a sudden, there is a swift whoosh, and Dasha arrives, closely followed by Arkarian. My heart feels like it's going to drop straight through my body. I can't even keep a straight face as I try to gulp away a sudden nauseous feeling. Unexpectedly, Arkarian stares straight at me with a concerned look in his eyes. I drag my eyes away from his and stare at the floor instead. He stares for a second longer and then averts his eyes to Ethan, who is walking towards him.

Ethan mumbles something, and then Arkarian says, " Let's not linger. We don't even know how long we'll have to stay at Louis XIV's Court."

Everyone nods and follows Arkarian out of the strange room. Finally, we arrive at a wardrobe room, and I see Ethan walk straight through the male clothing section. He's instantly outfitted in blue culottes and a white shirt. He has a mini cape like thing strewn across his shoulders, and looks very gentlemanly.

" Edmond Decaché at your service," he says with a bow. We laugh and each of us walks through the clothing racks in the room.

My new appearance is the complete opposite of my true identity. The only similarity is the small size of my body. Now I have bouncing blonde curls, which are piled high atop my head. My complexion is fair and my lips and cheeks are perfectly rosy. It's like I've spent many hours at the salon. The dress that I've been outfitted in is a soft pink, and the corset draws attention to my tiny waist and full skirt. Of course, it is kind of hard to breathe in this dress, but it makes me feel beautiful.

I introduce myself as Lady Madeleine Vermande. Next is Neriah, whose disguise is intriguing. When she comes out, I can't help but gasp. Every one of us stares at her with a bewildered look. "Did anybody know that we could take the forms of children?" I somehow manage to ask.

Arkarian answers me, although he doesn't make eye contact. " It has always been possible, but it was never probable that a child would be needed. This is obviously a special case." He says.

In any case, Neriah is delighted with her appearance. She looks to be a girl of 9 years, 10 at the most. She is clearly meant to be my daughter during this mission. Her hair is the same shade as mine, and curled in the same fashion. Her figure is a virtual copy of mine, only in a child's more lithe form. She steps towards me and introduces herself. " My name is Théresia, dear mother." She says with a giggle. I can't help but smile. She looks like such a sweet child.

Next, Dasha steps out in a beautiful deep green gown. It reminds me so much of that first mission with Arkarian, that I can't help but look away. She introduces herself as lady Annette Decaché. She is to be Ethan's new bride.

She now has long black hair and has become a little shorter than she is in real life. She still looks beautiful though. I can't help but wonder what Arkarian is thinking right now. I unconsciously glance over at him, and realize that I haven't been screening my thoughts. He's heard every single word.

NERIAH:

The only person left to go is Arkarian. He finally gets his disguise and is sprinkled with the knowledge dust. He is now wearing deep blue contacts in his eyes, and his hair is a short light brown mess. He smiles and says, " This is exactly the way I looked before." We all laugh at his nostalgia.

Then he introduces himself as Lord Philippe Vermande, Isabel's husband. Of course, the Citadel is making this as hard and awkward as possible. At the mention of Isabel's new husband, she quickly glances at me with a look in her eyes that purely says, Oh no! What do I do? I can't offer her any advice because I'm still recovering from this newest challenge that she has been given.

She's faced so many things in the past few weeks that I desperately wish that the Citadel wasn't being so cruel to her. I laugh at my own ridiculousness and the others simply stare at me. To cover up for my silliness, I say, "I'm a chip right off the old block." This has us all laughing, and the tension in the room lightens slightly.

ISABEL:

I can't believe the Citadel is doing this to me! Arkarian has to play the part of my husband! Of all the challenges that the Citadel could have given me, it chose this particular one. Typical.

All five of us are walking towards the door on the other side of the room. We've already left the wardrobe room, and are about to leap into 17th century France. I feel that familiar flutter in my chest as I near the door, and realize that this is my first mission in 3 months! I'm so excited to finally be back into the old routine! But of course, it all comes with unavoidable dangers.

"Ready?" Ethan asks from behind me. I just nod at him and he grasps my hand. He knows exactly what I'm going through. Thank God he is going on this mission! He is such a comfort to me.

Ethan and I are the first to leap, but we are closely followed by the others. When we land, I notice that we are already within the Royal Palace.

We all straighten ourselves out and started walking down the one corridor. We are unsure where to go, even with the knowledge dust, because our new identities will just have arrived at court. After a few minutes of aimless walking, and endless gawking, a female servant catches up with us.

She does a little curtsy, and asks, "Monsieurs, where is it that you are going?"

Arkarian is the first to answer her. "I am Lord Philippe Vermande, and this is my lovely wife, Lady Madeleine." I greet the woman with a small smile.

"We are searching for our chambers," Arkarian adds.

Our chambers? Oh, hell. I keep forgetting that everyone else thinks we're husband and wife. I guess that means we have to live in the same rooms. Why does the Citadel do these things to me? It's as if it knows what I'm going through, and wants to make it harder!

At this point, Neriah looks at me with a sympathetic look. She squeezes my hand and whispers, "It's ok. Everything will be alright."

For right now, I take her advice to heart and remember the promise that I made to myself. Nothing can get in the way of this mission!

Soon, Neriah, Ethan, and Dasha are introduced to the servant. After all of the introductions, the woman says, " I know where your quarters are monsieurs. Follow me."

Pretty soon, we arrive at a set of enormous, golden doors. It seems that these are Ethan and Dasha's apartments. We bid them farewell, and Arkarian lets them know that we'll be meeting up soon.

Now it's just Neriah, Arkarian, and me. The servant leads us in a completely different direction and stops at a smaller set of golden doors. "These are your rooms, Lady Théresia." She says in a stern voice. It seems that Neriah will be staying in the children's quarters with the other children at court! I catch Neriah's attention and give her a look of pure dread. If she is staying here, Arkarian and I will be alone in our quarters! The Citadel really does give me the worst identities.

After I hurriedly kiss "my daughter" goodbye, the servant turns to Arkarian and I. " Right this way, Madame and Monsieur." Then she briskly marches down the hallway.

The servant finally stops in front of another set of golden doors and says, " Your quarters Monsieur. If you need anything, please let us know." After this she walks away.

I can't help but feel awkward. We're standing in all this finery in a completely deserted hallway. It would be a dream, if only it wasn't Arkarian standing next to me.

I really hope I'm screening these thoughts as Arkarian pulls the door open. We walk into a magnificent room and I can't help but gasp. It's so beautiful! The walls are covered in rich colors, and there is a mural painted onto the ceiling. Fine furniture adorns every corner of the room, and the bed is amazing. There's a beautiful canopy that hangs from the top, and it is so far off the ground that there's even a little stair at the foot of the bed. I laugh at the ridiculous height of the bed, and then realize that Arkarian is standing next to me.

A wave of terror hits me. We're going to have to sleep in the same bed, together. Things just keep getting better and better for me don't they? I ask my self exasperatedly.

Arkarian must realize what I'm thinking because he glances at me and says, " You can have the bed." I can sense a strange feeling in his voice, but I can't quite place it. Maybe he already loves Dasha and doesn't want to be anywhere near me. Argh. Curse the stupid Citadel for putting me in this position!

I don't need telling twice about the bed, and I make sure there's no one else around when I sprint towards it. The task is a little tricky though, due to my immense petticoats and skirts. I manage as best as I can and run up the tiny staircase without faltering. In a second, I fling myself onto the bed, even in all of this pink finery. I land with a soft thud in the center of the giant bed and just lay there, face down in the mattress. It's so comfortable! I just feel like dozing off. Unfortunately, a knock at the door makes me jump, and I spring off the bed.

Arkarian opens the door, and a young male servant walks in. He notices my tousled curls, but says nothing. He then notices the bed's ruffled appearance and nervously says, " My apologies for the intrusion Monsieur. I see that you're preoccupied." With these words, the man bows himself out of the room and shuts the doors.

I stand there stupidly and blush. What else could go wrong? Without waiting for an answer, I walk over to the mirror to see what I can do about my hairdo. Apparently, that jump onto the bed didn't do my hairdo any good. The curls on top of my head are a little mussed, and there isn't much I can do about them. I do all that I can to fix my hair, and then glance back into the mirror. I see Arkarian's reflection, and notice that he is staring straight at me. He realizes that I've caught him looking and glances away quickly.

Not knowing what else to do, I walk towards the door and say, " I'm going to explore." Then I leave.


	8. Chapter 8

ISABEL:

The Palace of Versailles is so beautiful. The rooms that I enter are magnificent, each grander than the last! Some of the rooms, such as the Chapel, take my breath away. Murals are painted all across the ceiling and the strategically placed windows highlight some of the best works. Then of course, there are the Roman columns that surround the entire room. It's such a work of art that I can't even drag my eyes away. That's pretty much how every single room at Versailles is!

Eventually, I decide to return to my room. When I get there, I find Ethan and Dasha sitting with Arkarian. I offer them a small, icy smile and take a seat next to Ethan, making sure to arrange my skirts accordingly.

"Finally you're back!" Ethan exclaims. "Only you would spend your time exploring," Ethan adds with an amused glance at me.

I laugh at him and fold my hands across my chest, sending Ethan a scornful glance. Then, Arkarian tells us his suspicions about the Order. He thinks that they're probably already here, and that they're trying just as hard as we are to not stand out. This means we'll have to work extra hard to expose them.

After a few minutes of "strategy talk" from Arkarian, Ethan rolls his eyes and says, "Who cares about the Order! I want to know when we can party!"

His comment has me laughing, but Arkarian shoots Ethan a furtive glance.

"As a matter of fact, there is a Royal ball tonight," Arkarian tells us.

This news has us all excited. We all know that Louis XIV is the King of parties. He loves to host extravagant balls and masques. And we love to attend them!

"Yes! This is going to be so amazing!" Ethan yells. Dasha, who is seated next to him, is beaming. "I can't believe that this is my first mission!" She says excitedly. Before I can stop myself, I glance her way and the hateful thoughts that escape our completely unscreened. Arkarian turns towards me so fast that I think he's actually going to say something, but he just stares at me stonily.

All of a sudden, there is a knocking at the door. Everybody gets into character as quickly as possible.

NERIAH:

The children's quarters, although amusing, aren't where I should be. I tell a servant that I am looking for my mother, Lady Madeleine Vermande, and they walk me through the palace. When we finally get to the golden doors, the servant briskly knocks, and pulls open the heavy doors. He announces me and then leaves, shutting the doors behind him.

I can't help but squeal in excitement! "This mission is so awesome!" I shriek to Isabel, who nods in agreement somewhat uncertainly. I notice that Ethan and Dasha are already here, and greet Ethan enthusiastically. I say nothing to Dasha, and I still have no idea what to say to Arkarian, so I just ignore him for the time being. Then I notice the ever-present tension between Isabel and Arkarian. I send her an encouraging smile and make a mental note to help her through this. She smiles back, but her smile falters slightly when Arkarian starts to speak.

"Théresia, there's a royal ball tonight, and all of the people at court are invited. Including you. This ball is very important. I am sure that members of the Order will be there, so we all need to keep an eye on the King. Make sure you don't reveal your identities under any circumstances!" Arkarian warns us.

He tells us the importance of the mission for the hundredth time, and then we all turn to leave. It's already time to get ready for the festivities!


	9. Chapter 9

ISABEL:

After what seems like hours, I'm finally released from the salon. My hair is now in a more complicated up do and has been curled again. When I first arrived at the salon today, the hairdresser was very unhappy with me. The servants were also cross with me; my hair was too tousled to be helped, so they had to redo all of the curls.

Although it has been a tiresome experience, the salon has definitely helped me stay in character. Now I really do feel like a Lady.

When I arrive back at my apartments, a servant opens the heavy doors for me and I step through. Arkarian is standing with his back to me, rearranging the lace on his collar and sleeves. At this point in time, men are the ones who wear the lace!

He turns around slightly but I don't stop to talk. I don't think I could utter a word anyway!

Once I have calmed down, I go straight towards the wardrobe and find that the servants have picked out a dress for me. It is a striking scarlet dress and has beautiful silver embroidery framing the low neckline. There are also three bands of the same embroidery going down the front of the bodice, and one band travels the whole way down to the bottom of the dress. Although the entire dress is amazing, the most incredible feature is the pearls that are sewn onto it. They travel down the sleeves and fan out all across the skirt in unmatched glittering beauty. The dress is truly a masterpiece! Unfortunately, it requires me to be fitted into another corset! The one that I am wearing now will not go with the low neckline of the dress and must be replaced.

Arkarian sees my dilemma and laughs softly. I send him a cold glare and don't say anything. I haven't said a single word to him yet, and I don't plan on speaking to him at all during this mission. I can't believe how stupid I was to trust him as much as I did before. All men really are pigs . . . even 600 year old ones.

Finally, two lady servants arrive to help me into this damned corset. Arkarian excuses himself and goes to the privy, leaving me to suffer all by myself.

The first servant helps me out of my pink dress and masterfully whips the corset off my aching body. Then, she helps me into the newer, narrower corset. I hold on to the nearest bedpost while she pulls the laces in the back. My God it's like a freaking death trap! It's so tight!

All of a sudden I hear laughter. When I look around, I notice that Arkarian has returned, and is staring at me with an amused expression. He must have heard my thoughts. I frown at him and my unscreened thoughts scream through the icy distance between us; how dare you laugh at me, when all you've done is hurt me? Do you even know how I feel? That shuts him up real quick.

In a few minutes, the lady servant has finished lacing up the corset and is helping me into the extravagant crimson dress. Once I am fully dressed, the woman brings me a pair of beautiful shoes. Last but not least, I am brought a set of breathtaking jewels. The necklace is mostly made of sparkling diamonds, but there are also pearls along the chain. The earrings are simple chains of pearls with tiny diamonds at the bottom. The jewels match the dress perfectly.

Finally, I am completely dressed and ready to go. Thank God! I don't think I would've been able to take another minute of this never-ending fitting!

At last, we are informed that the ball is about to begin. Arkarian and I walk down the hall and eventually arrive at the massive ballroom doors. The doorman opens the doors for us and introduces us as Lord Philippe Vermande and Lady Madeleine of Desespoirs. When we walk into the ballroom, it is an amazing sight.

Every woman is dressed in an exquisite gown, and it is impossible not to see her glittering jewels. The men are just as done up with lace collars and cuffs just like Arkarian's. The King and Queen are seated on their thrones at the other end of the room, and a magnificent orchestra is playing.

Ethan and Dasha are introduced, and then walk over to join us. I silently remind myself that this girl is a Truthseer and that I need to screen every single thought, for fear that she might hear the obscenities my brain screams out every time I see her.

Before Ethan can protest, Dasha pulls him onto the dance floor excitedly. Of course, Ethan finds his chance to make my life miserable and grabs my hand. Now, the three of us are joining a huge group of people in a complicated dance. Luckily, the Citadel's knowledge dust has prepared us for this, and we know all of the popular dances of this time period.

My first partner is a middle-aged man with a crooked nose. He stares at me, irritated, and we begin to dance. When I'm finally maneuvered out of an endless spin, I find that my partner has changed. This time, it is a blond haired blue-eyed man, good-looking at the least. He introduces himself as Jean-Paul, and we begin to dance. He is such a good dancer, and so nice! Finally, Jean-Paul twirls me magnificently and I'm faced with a new partner. Oh no! It's Arkarian.

He grabs my hand and we start to dance. I don't know what to do. I haven't been this close to him for so long, and it seems so wrong after what he did to me. But I can't pull myself away. I wonder if he's holding me so tightly that I can't get away, or if I just don't want to go.

He seems to be thinking along the same lines because all of a sudden his grip on my hand and waist loosens. I still don't move.

Without warning, all of the feelings that I've been bottling up, resurface. Dasha's face keeps popping up into my head, and I can't help but think how much better she is for Arkarian than I am. She's more talented, more powerful, more beautiful, and even more loyal to the guard than I've ever been. They're perfect for each other. And this thought just makes me want to throw up. Right now, I can't even stand being next to Arkarian.

So I pull myself out of his grasp and run towards the door. These darn dresses! They're so hard to run in!

But eventually, I make it through the crowd and to the golden doors. Once I'm out of the ballroom, I run down the huge corridor. The only sound I hear is the click clacking of my shoes. Then I realize that I don't know where I'm going.

I look around and see that I'm in an unfamiliar part of the palace. I grab my skirts and turn to run again, but I don't get far before a warm hand wraps tightly around my wrist. I look up into my captor's face and meet blue eyes with a familiar purple glint in them.

Arkarian stares at me a minute longer and says, " You are perfect for me. You always have been."

I just stare at him, and without meaning to, I slap him across the face. Hard.

He stares at me, shocked.

I'm shocked too. I can't believe I just hit him. But that doesn't stop me from getting my point across.

" How could you do that to me? After everything we've gone through just to be together?" I yell, not as heartbroken as before, now that my anger is settling in.

There's a long pause, and when Arkarian finally answers, his voice is calm and quiet, but I can sense the force behind it.

" I was trying to protect you. I know how much you've given up, and I couldn't stand to see you hurt."

"What are you talking about? You're the one that's hurting me!" I yell, frustrated.

"You don't understand how hard it is to live with yourself when you hurt the person you love." His voice is still calm, but there's a hint of pain behind its softness.

Then he says, " After that night with you, I wasn't able to face you. I hurt you. I didn't want you to trust and love somebody that could harm you. I didn't ever want to hurt you again, so I thought that if I kept my distance, there might be a chance that you would move on and find someone else."

At this last comment, I stare at him furiously and say, " You are an idiot."

I turn around, preparing to walk away, but he grabs my wrist again. This time, it's because we've both heard the same thing.

Somebody down the hallway just yelped, and another voice bellowed, " It was never about the King, you dolt. Lathenia and the new Master made it clear that if this mission was carried out, it would be entirely about the girl."

Without giving me a second to think of a plan, Arkarian pulls me towards an inconspicuous door in the hallway, and pushes me inside the room. He follows closely, and the two of us hardly fit into this tiny room. It turns out to be a cleaning storeroom. I'm about to comment on his ability to pick amazing hideouts, when his hand clasps tightly across my mouth. My eyes fly up to his, and I immediately see the worry in them. Now we're sure that the Order is already here and has successfully regrouped. Unfortunately, this means that they are going to try something dangerous.

ISABEL:

Arkarian moves his hand away from my mouth and motions for me to be quiet. I nod, and send him my thoughts. 'Move. Let me look out the keyhole!'

He hesitates for a second but finally switches positions with me. With all of the crap that is in this storage room, Arkarian has to keep a hand tightly against the door handle. If he were to let go, we would fall straight out into the hallway in front of the Order.

So now, Arkarian is standing behind me with his arm lying across my shoulder, gripping the door handle. I can see the firmness in his grip and realize how nervous he is.

He motions for me to look through the keyhole, and I crouch carefully, tilting my head towards the door. When I look out, I realize that the people we overheard a minute ago have made good progress along the hallway. They've already turned the corner, and are halfway to our hideout.

I almost gasp, but remember that we're in hiding at the moment. One of the Order members is Jean-Paul, the blonde guy I danced with. His partner is also familiar. She is the servant that helped me get into my corset earlier this evening. 'So that's why it was so tight,' I think sarcastically. I have to fight the urge to laugh, but continue to look out at the two Order members.

They're getting closer, and we can finally hear some of their conversation.

" What do you mean?" The woman says.

" I mean that the girl is more powerful than any of them realize. She has yet another skill that hasn't been exposed." Jean-Paul answers.

" How do you know so much about this girl? And what is this skill you speak of?" The woman asks suspiciously.

" She can control the elements, on top of all of her other skills." Jean-Paul says. The woman's eyes widen and she holds a new respect for this girl they speak of. " How has nobody noticed this emerging skill of hers? It must be hard to control!" The servant woman exclaims.

" Of course it's hard to control! That's why they haven't noticed! It turns out the Guardians aren't as bright as we believed. For the last few weeks, they haven't thought about the weather at all. They've been too wrapped up in their own little worlds. But that's all about to change!" The blond man declares confidently.

This comment is the last we hear, because as soon as the words are out of the man's mouth, he and the woman turn at the corner.

Arkarian nudges my shoulder from behind, and I realize that we're still stuck in this stupid broom closet. I motion for him to stay quiet until I make sure the Order members are gone. When I look through the keyhole, I see that the coast is clear and turn towards Arkarian.

" They're gone. We have to hurry! I think they're going towards the ballroom!" I whisper. He just stares at me and asks, "Why are we whispering?" I realize what he means and laugh lightly. Then he leans in towards me and kisses me. I'm surprised; my heart skips a beat and my eyes flutter, but I don't pull away. It feels so good to finally be with him again.

Then I remember where we should be going. And that brings Dasha to my mind. I push Arkarian away angrily and say, " If all of what you just told me is true, then why did you kiss her?"

He looks at me with a sad, understanding look in his eyes and says, " I didn't kiss her. She kissed me. If Neriah had walked in a moment later, she would have seen me pushing her away."

I choose to believe his story for now, and say, " We have to go! Now! They're going to do something to Dasha."

Arkarian realizes what I'm talking about and goes to open the door. Then we both realize that his hand has been off the door handle since our kiss. He tries to open the door but it won't budge. I send him an annoyed glance and he returns one of amusement. I realize why he's laughing and give him another irritated glance. He is laughing because there are people in the hallway now, and they will disapprove when they see us fall out of this stupid broom closet. The situation is awkward, like all the other ones we've been faced with recently, but we decide to go through with it anyway because it will take a long time for the corridor to clear up again.

Arkarian turns his back to the door and I kiss him intensely. With the combined force of his body and mine, the door swings open and we tumble out into the hallway. Arkarian falls straight onto his back, and I, funnily enough, land squarely on top of him. I quickly get up, my face burning, not only because of the onlookers, but also of the actual situation we have found ourselves in. Arkarian stands up next to me hurriedly, and laughs embarrassedly. Just as we thought, the men and women in the hallway send us disapproving looks. Arkarian takes no more notice and grabs my hand. We start running towards the ballroom as fast as we can.

When we get to the golden doors, we expect to find a terrible scene. Instead, lively music and energetic dancers greet us. I glance at Arkarian and say, " What's going on? They were definitely headed towards the ballroom!"

He thinks for a minute and looks around the room. When he glances back at me, he says, " I don't know. I guess they're not making their move until later. But they are both on the dance floor, so keep your eyes out for any signs of danger."


	10. Chapter 10

Disclaimer: I don't own Guardians of Time. That's Marianne Curley's. I only own Dasha, Jean-Paul, and the servant lady (who doesn't have a name . . . I guess. haha.) So anyway, I also own the plot.

P.S. I probably won't update as soon as/as often as I have been doing lately (I was bored). Let me know if you like it.

NERIAH:

Once the ball is in full swing, the children are sent into a separate room. Servants are here to wait on us, but they stand far away from us, leaning against the walls. There is also another orchestra in this room, but it is much smaller and less extravagant than the one in the main room.

After a few minutes of this dreary room, I'm ready to hit the sack. It's so boring in here compared to the main room! Eventually, I complain to one of the servants that I need to use the restroom. He escorts me all the way to the privy and then leaves, glancing at me over his shoulder somewhat suspiciously.

I take no notice of his behavior and try to recall the way back to the main ballroom.

When I finally get there, I see that Ethan and Dasha are the only familiar figures. I decide that it is best to stay far off in the corner in case anybody notices that I'm here and decides to send me back to the children's ball.

From what I can tell, Arkarian and Isabel are missing. I can't help but hope that they're together, trying to resolve their differences. My swirling thoughts become a reality when I glance up at the golden doors on the other side of the ballroom.

Isabel and Arkarian are re-entering the room together. Arkarian has a tight hold on Isabel's hand, and they both seem out of breath. There seems to be less tension between them than before, but Isabel pulls her hand out of his grip hastily.

I sense there's more to their strange behavior than they're letting on. Before I can stop myself, my thoughts call out to Arkarian. 'I'm here. What's going on?'

His head spins around and he walks over quietly, staying in character the whole time. Isabel follows him, her eyes staying on the ground. Something must have happened between them, but it doesn't seem to be entirely horrible. Thank Goodness!

ISABEL:

Once we finally reach Neriah, Arkarian tells her what just happened. Ok, he only told her part of it, but that's not such a bad thing.

" What are we going to do?" Neriah asks, with a hint of panic in her voice.

" Nothing for now. Just keep a watchful eye on Dasha. If she's captured, the Order will use her skills against us, and we'll be hopeless in future battles." Arkarian says somewhat anxiously.

I just nod and look at Neriah. She gives me an encouraging smile and says, " We can do that." I laugh at her trouble free manner.

Arkarian glances at the two of us and says, " We should find Ethan and tell him what we know."

Of course, he's right as always. And of course, Neriah and I didn't shield our thoughts. He gives us both an incredulous look and then walks off, looking for Ethan.

Neriah and I laugh and start to look for Ethan as well.

Eventually, I fill Neriah in on everything that's happened between Arkarian and I, and she gets really excited.

"Yes. Things are finally starting to get back to normal!" She yells eagerly, when I tell her. Then, our conversation is cut short because we finally find Ethan.

Trying to blend in with our surroundings, Ethan and I go back onto the dance floor, leaving Neriah in the hidden alcove. Arkarian understands what we're doing and joins us from across the room.

Being his dance partner isn't nearly as bad as it was earlier, but it's still really awkward because neither of us knows what to say.

Pretty soon, Ethan finds Dasha and stays close to her, in case the Order makes a move. Hopefully, the Order won't attempt anything at this ball; it's too risky even for them.

By now, Arkarian and I are in the middle of the dance floor, and a new song is about to start. When the music wafts over, Arkarian rests his hands on my waist and pulls me towards the crowd.

After the next song, I turn to Arkarian and say, " Let's sit down for a while."

He glances down at me and says, " After this one." Then he grabs my hand and pulls me towards the dance floor again.

I laugh and decide not to protest. The orchestra starts playing again, and Arkarian pulls me closer to him. His eyes lock onto mine and I can see an unvoiced apology. I nod and give him a small smile, letting him know that I will never forget everything that's happened but that we will deal with it later.

We continue dancing and I realize that it's one of those dances where everyone switches partners at least a dozen times. Arkarian hears my stray thoughts and laughs. He leans down and kisses my cheek softly before twirling me to my next partner.

With Arkarian's kiss still burning on my cheek, I don't realize who my new dance partner is. When I finally remember where I am, I look up into my new partner's face. Oh God! It's Jean-Paul. As soon as I think the words, my mental block shoots up. When I look at him next he catches my eye and smirks omnisciently.

NERIAH:

From the corner of the room that I'm still sitting in, I see Ethan and Dasha dancing. I can also see Arkarian and Isabel. Things finally seem to be going OK with the two of them.

Then, out of the corner of my eye, I see Arkarian twirl Isabel to the side. Oh no! Her new partner is that guy Jean-Paul. Arkarian realizes this at the same time as I do, and we exchange anxious glances. Isabel needs to be really careful; this guy is probably a very high-ranking member of the Order.

I keep my eye on Isabel as she is twirled and spun around the room by Jean-Paul. Then, without a second's warning, Jean-Paul twirls her towards himself. Before anyone even realizes what's happening, he pulls out a jeweled dagger and drives it into her chest.

She takes a deep, shuddering breath and then staggers backwards. Crimson blood is trickling down Isabel's chest, and it is already obscuring the beautiful floor.

Other dancers and guests move away from the pair and a couple of women scream, including me.

I run to Isabel and throw myself onto her. She has a faraway look in her eyes and doesn't say anything. Then I notice that Arkarian is standing there with a shocked look on his face.

He runs towards Isabel, but stops abruptly before he gets to her. When he turns, it is to face Jean-Paul. The blond man stands there with a satisfied smirk and says, " Yes. It was always her."

As soon as the words are out of his mouth, he grabs my arm and heaves me away from Isabel's weakening body. I land on the hard floor and slide a couple of feet, helpless to do anything.

Arkarian finally realizes the danger Isabel is in and runs towards her again, but Jean-Paul stands up and propels a wave of green power towards him. Arkarian is thrown back and lands further away than me. There are loud gasps and murmurs from the surrounding crowd, and the King heaves himself up and roars, " WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS?"

Before anybody can respond, two others run to Jean-Paul's side. One of the people is the servant woman that Isabel and Arkarian identified as a member of the Order. The other is Dasha.

I jump off the cold, hard floor at the sight of Arkarian's Apprentice. Before I can stop myself, the words come tumbling out," You stand with them?"

She stares at me and laughs icily. " Of course. I was supposed to distract Arkarian, and make sure he and Isabel were pulled further apart. I did my job well, did I not?" She asks just as frostily.

I stare at her, contemplating what she has just told me. Right at this moment, I just want to strangle her. She's hurt Isabel so much, and Arkarian too. Not to mention all of the rest of us.

I lunge forward and run towards her. I see a surprised look on her face before I fling myself towards her. My hand scratches her face; leaving long scrape marks down her beautiful cheek. The scratch starts to bleed almost instantly and the girl shoots me a furious glare. Once again, the blond man sends a blast of green energy towards me. I fly backwards and hit the nearest wall with a loud thud. Pain hits the back of my eyes, and the ongoing scene becomes fuzzy.

Walking towards Isabel, Jean-Paul averts his attention to Arkarian, who is still heaving on the floor. He places a hand on her blood soaked shoulder and looks up one more time. " You can't save her this time Arkarian," he says just before he pulls the blade out of Isabel's chest.

She gasps, struggling for breath and says, " I love you Arkarian." Then, all three members of the Order disappear, taking Isabel with them.


	11. Chapter 11

NERIAH:

Without thinking, I call; "Shaun," and Ethan, Arkarian, and I are transported back to the Citadel. As soon as I land, I run towards the door and fling it open. Isabel is my best friend; I can't lose her like this.

I run as fast as I can towards the door that leads to Arkarian's chambers. I don't get far when someone grabs me around the waist. I look up and meet Ethan's eyes. He looks terrified and heartbroken. Worse yet is the look in Arkarian's eyes as he runs towards us.

He pushes past Ethan and I, and runs through the door to his chambers. Shaun is sitting at the sphere and spins around as soon as he hears our footsteps. He has the most horrified expression on his face.

Then, without warning, Arkarian falls to the ground in a motionless heap. Shaun and Ethan run to him and don't get a response.

Before I even have time to realize what's happening, Lady Arabella and Lord Penbarin appear. Since Lorian's death, these two have been helping Matt adjust to his new role as leader.

Lady Arabella leans down towards Arkarian. When she looks up, it is with a grave expression. She looks to Lord Penbarin and says, "This is the work of an immortal."

He stares at her, unblinking, and then pulls himself together. "Take him to the healing chambers! I will contact Dartemis." Lord Penbarin bellows in urgency.

She collects herself and disappears, taking Arkarian with her.

Before anyone can say anything else, I look at Lord Penbarin and ask, " Is he alive?"

" Just barely. Tell me exactly what happened!" Commands Lord Penbarin.

Ethan and I barely get out the whole story before Matt, Jimmy, and Dillon appears beside Lord Penbarin. Seconds later, Penbarin disappears, no doubt following Lady Arabella to the healing chambers.

"What happened?" Asks Matt, the anxiety in his voice apparent.

I look at him with sad eyes and know that he is searching my thoughts for clues. I don't try blocking them, and when the scene with Isabel replays in my mind, Matt's eyes grow wide.

He staggers for a second and then pulls one of Arkarian's stools over. Sitting on it carefully, he sends me a worried glance. Once he gets his thoughts together, Matt pulls out more stools for the rest of us.

Everyone takes a seat silently, and Dillon keeps glancing up cautiously. It's then that I realize he has no idea what has happened. I replay the whole scene in the ballroom in my mind, sending the images thundering into his brain. Without a word, he nods and glances at Matt.

Matt is staring blankly at the ground, his thoughts completely blocked off to me. I glance at him, trying to catch his eye. He finally peels his eyes away from the floor and glances up at me. We lock eyes, and I send him a train of thought.

'What do we do to get her back?'

'I don't know Neriah. I failed her. I didn't protect her like I should have.' He says mournfully.

'Matt, NO! That was the Order's plan all along. Dasha was sent to distract and mislead us! She was supposed to keep Arkarian away from Isabel so that he couldn't protect her!' I say angrily.

'So what? I was supposed to be there for her. And what about Arkarian? Where the hell was he when all of this was happening?' Matt says furiously.

'Matt, he's barely alive. Right before you arrived, Lady Arabella took him to the healing chambers. One of Isabel's attackers must have been an immortal!' I think, still kind of shocked.

Matt hears my thoughts and his expression changes back to worry. He glances at me again and asks, " Are you OK? Did they hurt you?'

'No, I'm fine. Just a little sore, but nothing too terrible. Now let's figure out what to do to get Isabel back!' I mentally shout at him.

Ethan seems to be thinking along the same lines because he says, " Matt! What the hell are we going to do? We have to go to the middle realm to check if she has crossed over yet!"

Without a word, Ethan, Matt, and I are transported into the middle realm. All three of us start running towards the bright bridge in the distance. We finally get to the edge of the bridge, but realize that Isabel isn't there.

Ethan stares around helplessly and looks to Matt. " Did she already cross?" He asks. The words come out unsteadily. At Ethan's words, I can't help but lose hope. When I glance at Matt, he sends me an unidentifiable look.

Eventually Matt turns to us and says, " She can't have crossed over yet. The only explanation is that she isn't dead."

_With these words, the three of us are transported back to Arkarian's chambers._


End file.
